Baigal Nuur - Lake Baikal
The formation of Lake Baikal in Siberia was reimagined, featuring the voice of an Indigenous woman who can still recall some words in her endangered language.
Interview with Director/Producer/Animator Alisi Telengut
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Indigenous people share a profound connection with the land they inhabit, and I have always been interested in exploring the subject of the human-nature relationship. Lake Baikal, situated in Siberia across the northern border of Mongolia, is not only the world's oldest but also the deepest freshwater lake. The film features the voice of an Indigenous woman who can still recall some words in her endangered language, Buryat (a Mongolian dialect).
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I want the audience to experience the sublime formation of Lake Baikal. The film, animated entirely by hand, reimagines planets, the sky, wind, volcanoes, mountains, lakes, and rivers in a non-anthropomorphic manner. There are no human characters in the film, as it seeks to portray the gradual formation of the lake, which occurred approximately 25 million years ago.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I believe that factors such as colonialism, education policies, and various other reasons can contribute to the gradual endangerment of native or non-native languages. A language is reflective of a culture's way of thinking. In the film, it explores this concept by presenting four distinct ways of describing the word 'thunder'. Translating these nuances into another language proves challenging, as the subtle meanings may not be the same.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Due to the Russia-Ukraine war, I have been unable to travel to the Lake Baikal region. The film reimagines the intangible landscape using tangible materials and is animated under the camera on a single piece of metal using oil pastel, various stones, quartz, and other found objects. The animation process, an accumulation process, spanned approximately two years. Throughout this period, I gathered numerous stones and objects, which were incorporated into the film. Some small crystals were hand-harvested in the Alps by a friend who grew up in the mountains.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
People found the film very beautiful, and the textural images are not commonly seen in animation. They are also intrigued by the music, the jaw harp performed by Spiridon Shishigin. Some people also asked about the language translation experience.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I had certain expectations regarding feedback, but one reaction during a screening last year stood out to me. A child in the cinema started crying out of fear when the mountain appeared in the film with a roaring sound. I wanted the portrayal of natural phenomena in the film to be raw, not necessarily pleasant and pleasing for humans.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
The stories, peoples, and languages of Mongolia and Siberia remain largely invisible in both mainstream and non-mainstream media and art scenes. My goal is to share the perspectives and wisdom I gained from my grandparents, as well as from my research on these subjects later in life.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Sales agents, buyers and journalists.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What inspired you to create this film about this specific lake?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Currently, I'm working on a short film in collaboration with another Sundance alum. It explores breathing and our intertwined relationship with air, nature, and the more-than-human world.
Interview: January 2024
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Baigal Nuur - Lake Baikal
The formation of Lake Baikal in Siberia was reimagined, featuring the voice of an Indigenous woman who can still recall some words in her endangered language.
Length: 8:56
Director: Alisi Telengut
Producer: Alisi Telengut, Fabian Driehorst
Writer: Alisi Telengut
About the writer, director and producer:
ALISI TELENGUT is a Canadian artist of Mongolian roots and an award-winning animation filmmaker.
FABIAN DRIEHOST is a Hamburg-based animation producer.
Looking for: sales agents, journalists, buyers
Instagram: @alisitelengut
Hashtags used: #alisitelengut #baigalnuur
Website: https://alisitelengut.com/
Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4665078/?ref_=tt_ov_dr
Made in association with:
Funders: Rudolf Augstein Foundation, IKF of Filmuni Babelsberg, Canada Council for the Arts
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
TIFF Canada's Top Ten screening, end of January 2024
Skabmagovat Film Festival, Finland. end of January 2024
Whitney Biennial, USA. Mar-Sep 2024 (to be annouced end of January 2024)